Social Sunday: Tribute to Eunice W. Johnson co-founder of Johnson Publishing

The first week in 2010 was full of worthy topics for Social Sunday. 

• Annie Leibovitz's  prophetic Vanity Fair  February cover featuring Tiger Woods

• NBC's Jay vs. Conan
• Mariah's unbelievably tight dress followed by the alcohol induced slurry acceptance speech.

Since all of these received a lot of press, Fashiona decided to call attention to something that didn't get as much attention.  Eunice W. Johnson, the wife of the late John H. Johnson, died last Sunday at the age  of 93.

She and her late husband, John H. Johnson founded Johnson Publishing Company in 1942.  The company owns both Ebony and Jet Magazines and Fashion Fair.  Fashion Fair conceived in 1973 was the first cosmetic company that catered specifically to women of color and paved the way for later lines like diverse brands like MAC.

Before Fashiona  read Ebony or Jet, she was introduced to the Ebony Fashion Fair Show, the traveling fashion show that  Mrs. Johnson started in 1961.

Mom took six year old Fashiona to her first Ebony Fashion Fair Fashion Show.  Fashiona truly fell in love with fashion that day. All those tall pretty brown women wearing colorful wearing flashy clothes...it was the 1980's and Fashiona's very first thong sighting.  Fodder for family folk lore for years to come.

Fashiona just wanted to be a part of that world.

So thank you Mrs. Eunice W. Johnson for making fashion a tangible aspiration.